Suggested answers

1. If I take the job I'll have to move to Paris. - Taking the job means / involves moving to Paris.

2. It's very kind of you to give me a lift. - I appreciate your giving me a lift.

3. It might be a good idea to use honey instead of sugar. - Why don't you try using honey instead of sugar?

4. I'm quite happy to look after the baby for you. - I don't mind looking after the baby for you.

5. I must see the manager! - I demand to see the manager.

6. 'Go on Jack, apply for the job,' said Sally. - Sally encouraged Jack to apply for the job.

7. You wouldn't know where the Hilton Hotel is, would you? - Do you happen to know where the Hilton Hotel is?

8. Parking is not permitted here. - You are not allowed (permitted) to park here. / They forbid parking here. / You are forbidden to park here.

9. 'Shall I carry that bag for you, John?' said Pauline. - Pauline offered to carry / suggested carrying John’s bag.

10. Is that the manager? I have a complaint about my room. - Is that the manager? I wish to complain about my room.

11. You’ll waste time if you copy your work out again. - Don't waste time on copying your work out again.

12. I bet you wouldn't ask David to come with you to the party! - I dare say you wouldn't ask David to come with you to the party!

13. Brenda really hates staying in expensive hotels. - Brenda can't stand staying in expensive hotels.

14. 'Please don't leave me on my own,' Martin begged us. - Martin begged us not to leave him on his own.

15. If you work for this company, you have to travel a lot. - Working for this company involves much traveling.

16. Joe doesn't like it when people treat him like a child. - Joe resents being treated like a child.

17. You should go to the dentist's at once. - Don't put off going to the dentist.

18. It was resolved that the matter would be brought up at the next meeting. - They resolved bringing the matter up at the next meeting.

19. The police were told that the use of unnecessary force was forbidden. - The police were instructed against using unnecessary force./ They instructed the police not to use …

TASK 29. Use the verbs in brackets in the correct gerund or infinitive form.

It all began about three years ago. A friend suggested entering a photo competition – for fun. At the time, I wasn’t interested in becoming a photographic model – I wanted to train as a hairdresser. Well, I won the competition and did a course in modeling. It was great fun, we learnt a lot more than just walking up and down and putting on make up. Then I got my first job, as a model in a small London fashion house. After that, I did some television commercials. By this time I found that my job had changed my life. I had to give up smoking and eating my favourite foods. I couldn’t risk catching a cold. I had to stop going to bed late, this was difficult, because I was fond of going to parties and I wasn’t used to getting up early. I sometimes hated standing in front of cameras for hours. But now I’m used to it. I enjoy travelling and meeting interesting people, and I must admit I like wearing expensive clothes.

TASK 30. Explain the differences in meaning in the following pairs of sentences.

1. to regret

   1. I regret to say that we have decided not to offer you the job. (present reference)

   2. I regret saying that I don’t like your new boyfriend. (past reference)

2. to try

   1. I’ve tried to open the bonnet, but it seems to be stuck. (attempt)

   2. Have you tried cleaning the spark plugs? (experimenting)

3. to remember

   1. He remembered seeing Jane on the way back from work. (action done in the past)

   2. She remembered to send her mother a birthday card. (intention)

4. to go on

   1. The professor mentioned Boticelli, and went on to talk about the Reneissance. (change of activity)

   2. He went on talking about himself for hours and hours. (the same activity)

5. to forget

   1. I’ll never forget seeing the Taj Mahal for the first time. (action done in the past)

   2. She was angry with him for forgetting to lock the back door. (adj + preposition)

6. to stop

   1. I think we ought to stop to have something to eat soon. (change of activity)

   2. They stopped going out in the evening when they had their first child. (give up)

7. to dread

   1. I dread to think what he is going to say when he sees what you’ve done to the car. (concrete situation)

   2. She dreaded seeing her ex-husband even accidentally. (fobia)

8. to need

   1. Your business is a complete shambles – the whole thing needs reorganizing. (passive meaning)

   2. I need to have a word in your ear. It’s about your trip to Italy next week. (active meaning)

9. to mean

   1. I meant to write him a letter of condolence [kqn'dqVlqns], but I never got round to it. (intention)

   2. If you do join the Navy, it’ll mean being away from home for months on end. (involve)

10. to help

    1. Everyone helped (to) make the village look its best for the Prime Minister’s visit. (general use)

    2. I can’t help feeling that you are making a terrible mistake. (can’t help + gerund)

TASK 31. Read the sentences and choose the right answer.

1. John has stopped to talk to Mary. Is he talking to her at the moment?

YES NO NOT CLEAR

2. John has stopped talking to her at the moment. Is he talking to her at the moment? YES NO NOT CLEAR

3. Do you remember putting this cake in the washing machine? Is there a cake in the washing machine? YES NO NOT CLEAR

4. Did you remember to put the cake in the washing machine? Is there a cake in the washing machine? YES NO NOT CLEAR

5. “I’ve got hiccups”. - “Try holding your breath”. Does “try” mean “see if you can do it” here? YES NO NOT CLEAR

6. How long can you hold your breath? Try to hold it for two minutes. Does “try” mean “see if you can do it” here? YES NO NOT CLEAR

TASK 32. Complete the sentences by putting the verbs into either the infinitive or the gerund form. Add prepositions if necessary.

1. I’ve always regretted not having learnt to play the piano at school.

2. He became an MP in 1983 and went on to become Prime Minister three years later.

3. I dread to think what he’s going to say when he finds out I’ve crashed the car.

4. It’s a very beautiful cottage, but it needs modernizing / to be modernized.

5. The house is a wreck; if you buy it, it’ll mean living in chaos for months.

6. I’m sure a good holiday will help to make you feel more relaxed.

7. I didn’t mean to cause you so much trouble.

8. This new job of mine means putting up with inconvenient hours of work at first.

9. Did you remember to thank your aunt for the present?

10. She has always regretted not having travelled round the world when she was younger. Now I regret to tell you that she is too ill to travel.

11. I’m sorry. I forgot to post the letter. – What a shame, I remember asking you to do it.

12. I'm really serious about buying this house. The question is if I can afford to buy it.

13. I'm ashamed I forgot to tell you that he's not capable of taking responsibility.

14. They are very anxious to please, but I am afraid I don’t feel qualified to say that their proposals are not worth considering.

15. My boss omitted to tell me that even though I finished typing/to type all his post, I still wouldn’t be allowed to leave before 5 o’clock.

16. My father needs to take our car to the garage because its brakes need adjusting/to be adjusted.

17. Jack wouldn’t even consider allowing us to pay for ourselves.

18. I really resented his saying that to me and I can’t forgive him for treating me like that.

19. I have succeeded in getting in touch with Mr. Philips and asked him to contact you.

20. You’d better tell the headmaster the truth before he forbids all of us to go to the camp.

TASK 33. Rewrite each sentence so that it included the word in capitals without changing the meaning. Follow the example.

Example: I'm sorry I didn't go to university. REGRET

I regret not going/not having gone to university.

1. Winning the football pools meant we could buy a new car. ENABLED

Winning the football pools enabled us to buy a new car.

2. There is a risk that he will miss the plane if he waits. RISKS

He risks missing the plane.

3. I believed you were the murderer because of this clue. LED

The clue led me to believe that you were the murderer.

4. Does using the hotel swimming pool cost extra? PAYING

Does using the hotel swimming pool mean paying extra?

5. I think that this is the right street. APPEARS

It appears to be the right street.

6. Jean succeeded in finishing all her work on time. MANAGED

Jean managed to finish all her work on time.

7. They said they would like me to stay with them in Florida. INVITED

They invited me to stay with them in Florida.

8. Calling Jim is pointless, because his phone is out of order. USE

It’s no use calling Jim, because his phone is out of order

9. It is compulsory for all students to leave cash deposit. REQUIRED

All students are required to leave cash deposit.

TASK 34. Use the right form of the infinitive or the gerund of the verbs in brackets. Add prepositions if necessary.

1. I no longer feel in the least like bungee jumping. It’s not my cup of tea.

2. Sheila wanted to know the truth and nothing could stop her from knowing it.

3. You’ll have to wait for ages for another driving test if you fail to pass it this time.

4. The people in the flat below have refused to join the Residents’ Association.

5. Katy doesn’t really enjoy singing in public.

6. Jill thinks we should phone our boss now, but John suggests phoning later.

7. I don’t want to join the Townsends on holiday, I can’t afford spending/ to spend my money the way they do.

8. Imagine his telling the chef how to cook an omelette!

9. I’d like to watch you cook/ cooking. It’s such a rare sight!

10. I couldn't resist going to see that new exhibition at the National Gallery.

11. Please forgive my mentioning it, but I think you're sitting on my hat.

12. I refuse to accept the idea of selling that painting, it's been in my family for generations.

13. I've heard that Tom intends to invest in 1980s furniture which is becoming very collectable.

14. I was completely taken aback to learn / having learnt/ on learning that my old vase was quite valuable.

15. Do you think it's worth traveling all the way to Paris to see the Cezanne exhibition?

16. What the designer omitted to mention was the price she wants for the commission.

17. I have arranged for you to borrow that art book rather than have the expense of buying it.

18. Would you mind tidying up your room a bit before you go out, please?

19. I can't face listening to another hour of this concert, I'm going home!

20. I can't be bothered with catching the bus, let's take a taxi.

21. Should you happen to see Phil, could you tell him I'm looking for him?

22. I'm inclined to agree with my father, who has no time for Picasso.

23. I resent your suggesting that my work is not original.

24. Does Molly envisage visiting the Prado while she's in Madrid?

25. Like many other artists, Joshua cannot tolerate being criticized

26. Is Gail counting on getting a grant when she goes to art school?

27. Jason often pretends to be unemployed, but actually he's a graphic designer.

28. Don't attempt to take that picture out of its frame, you might damage it.

29. Alison generally appreciates being told when her work is not up to standard.

TASK 35. Choose the correct form of the verbs.

It is sometimes said that there is nothing new in the world of fashion. Annabelle was a well-known model during the seventies. When her children were in their early teens they were enjoying/ used to enjoy looking at her old photo albums. They were finding/ found it hard to believe that she was wearing/ used to wear such strange clothes. Did people really use to think/ Were people really thinking flared trousers looked good? And those ugly platform shoes! She was admitting/ admitted that people were often falling/ often used to fall over because the heels were so high. In the early nineties, however, Annabelle noticed to her amazement that seventies styles were/ used to be in fashion again. ‘I planned/ was planning to throw all my old clothes away’, she said, ‘but my daughter went to a party last week, and guess what she used to wear/ was wearing - that’s right, some of my old clothes!’

TASK 36. Mira has written a composition about her childhood. She knows that she often makes mistakes with verb constructions using the infinitive or gerund and she asked you to check her work before she hands it in.

When I was a child I always wanted to ride a horse although my parents would not allow me to have riding lessons because they said they could not afford to let me have them. Also my mother said it was dangerous and she did not want me to risk breaking my neck. One day, my best friend got some money for her birthday and she offered to pay for a lesson for us both. I thanked her for being so kind and we arranged to have a lesson the following Saturday. I did not consider telling my parents our plans because I thought they would prevent me from having the lesson. I enjoyed riding very much until the horse I was on felt like galloping. Off it went across the field and I did not know how to stop it. Suddenly it decided to stop and I fell off. I broke my arm. Of course, I could not deny having ridden to my parents and my father accused me of being deceitful. It was not a happy day for me and somehow I have never felt like going on a horse again.

TASK 37. Fill in the gaps with either gerund or infinitive.

1. She walked out of the office without saying goodbye.

2. They made her type the letter again.

3. She has gone to the post office to buy some stamps.

4. You're too young to stay at home by yourself.

5. He opened the door only to see that the room was empty.

6. What a stupid thing to do! Can you imagine anybody being so stupid?

7. Sarah gave up trying to find a job in this country and decided to go /on going abroad.

8. It was so ridiculous that I couldn’t resist laughing outright.

9. The secretary asked if I would mind waiting for a few minutes.

10. The way to learn a foreign language is to practise speaking it as often as possible.

11. Everyone said how much they had enjoyed listening to the speech.

12. When you’ve finished this book you can tell me if it’s worth reading.

13. He was very lucky to escape being sent to prison.

14. She was so upset that she couldn’t help crying.

15. The teacher said he would not tolerate my being late every day.

16. The question is so trivial it hardly justifies our wasting any more time discussing it.

17. I hardly dare ask how much it cost!

18. Have you ever contemplated taking a year off work?

19. I didn't like the town at first, but I got used to loving it eventually.

20. What do you suggest doing after this course has finished?

21. As soon as Shells finished telling/to tell the joke, everyone burst out laughing.

22. Jim and I arranged to meet at 6.00 but he didn't turn up.

23. It so happened that we won't need to pay so much after all.

24. I can't wait for Saturday.' I'm really looking forward to seeing you!

25. I can't face getting up at 6.30 tomorrow morning! I'll catch a later train.

26. The government decided to reduce inflation by strict control of the economy.

27. I couldn't actually afford living in a place like that!

28. The arrested man denied having been anywhere near the bank.

29. Carol begged the customs officer to ignore the gold bars in her bag.

30. Did you notice anyone waiting for me when you passed my office?

31. We agreed to split the cost of all the bills.

32. I was hurrying to get to the station when I fell and injured my knee.

33. We strongly recommend all clients to take out their own travel insurance.

34. I don't remember turning off the gas, now you mention it.

35. Margaret doesn't really dare to ask staff to work overtime on Friday.

TASK 38. Read the letter below and put the verbs into the correct form.

Dear Ruth,

Thank you very much for the lovely present you sent for Laurie. It was very kind of you. You say in your note that you haven’t got used to being an aunt yet. I used to think that becoming a father wouldn’t change me. I was wrong, of course! Life will never be the same again. We used to go to bed at midnight or later. Now we’re asleep by ten because we’ve had to get used to waking up at five o’clock.

Actually, that’s quite good in a way. I always used to arrive late at the office, but since Laurie was born my secretary has got used to finding me hard at work by the time she gets in!

Mind you, it hasn’t been so easy for Jenny. I think she found it very hard at first, being with the baby instead of going to work. She wasn’t used to spending all day without adult company. But she’s got quite friendly with a neighbor who also has a young baby and I think that makes it easier. She used to say she’d go back to work when Laurie was six months old, but now that she’s used to being at home, she’s beginning to enjoy herself, so she may wait until Laurie is a bit older.

Anyway, when do you think you’ll be able to come and see us? Jenny says hurry up while Laurie is still small. We’d love a visitor to show her off to!

All the best,

Dennis.

3